Inevitable Fate

Leilani sat, alone but not lonely, at the small dining table. Her parents were in town, buying supplies, and this left her the opportunity for a meal—a welcome break—until they returned with her tools. Her soup was cool b now, but still invigorating. She lifted the bowl to her lips, drinking down the last of the broth while holding the spoon at bay with a finger. She set it down afterwards, filling her hand now with the cup of milk. It almost reached her lips when she heard a pounding at the door. It shook on somewhat loose hinges as the assault. Leilani hesitated, thoughts rolling. Her parents had no need to knock, in any case, but certainly no need to pound on the weak door. She considered not opening it, but stood and answered once the man introduced himself as Keplar, a soldier from the palace.
         The door opened with a whine, revealing a well-toned man as far ask skin and muscle went, with a patch of brown hair across his chin and jaw which wasn’t long nor rebellious enough to be called a beard. His eyes—taking her for in as much as she was with him—were a bright, dark blue, which matched his robes laying under shining silver armor. He nodded to her respectfully, keeping his eyes on her.
         “The palace has requested the presence of Leilani Arrenson. You are her, are you not?”
         She blinked. “What for?”
         “I am not allowed to speak of royal issues to any stranger. Are you Leilani, or aren’t you?”
         Now she shook her head. “I have no need to see the royal family, and many reasons to stay here. There is work to be done, more than what three people could easily handle and I can’t afford to leave it to my parents alone.”
         Keplar opened his mouth, but she cut him off, even holding up a hand.
         “If your lady Queen so wishes to see me, she can see me here, at my home, and look upon the poor state in which she leaves her villages.”
         He narrowed his eyes, putting a hand on the door as she stepped away, trying to close it.. “You disrespect the lady Queen when she has—“
         “When she first disrespected me.” Leilani said, without a flinch. “My sir, you mentioned your  name earlier?”
         He made an impatient face. “Keplar.”
         “Hmm, as I thought. Your ancestors are descent from the people of Gala, horse-men of nomadic nature. Keplar, no doubt, refers to the Galen word for stallion, ‘kep’, in their tongue. Am I right?”
         “He sighed. “My forefathers have long served the palace and—“
         “Well yes, of course they have. In seventeen ninety six, the Galen united with our armies and one of their generals, Tiptar, was assigned to protecting the young princess Mora. The tradition has yet continued, though the Galen warriors have bred in with the city-folk and are now a mixed, half-domesticated race which owes little honor to their original ancestors. The bond with the royal family is too great, now, for them to abandon their new families. The Galen are, however, still trademarked by their dark skin, somewhat orange-tinted, brown hair, and brightly colorful eyes.”
         Keplar tightened his casual grip on the hilt of his sword. “If we could kindly return to the topic at hand…”
         “Am I wrong?” She asked, flashing him a knowing look and even noticing her hand had gone to her hip.
         He sighed. “I am one such mixed Galen, my fathers before me having served the princesses of the crown for generations lost to memory, but not to text. There are records of my lineage in the royal palace, if you are so curious about it.”
         Leilani laughed quietly, honestly amused at how he managed to turn the subject back. After a moment, she shook her head. “My point was this, Kep. We’ll say figuratively that you were born to your native, nomadic peoples and your task among your tribe was Keptani, the horse keeper. There are about fifty men per tribe, and thirty women. That’s eighty horses, or more, to keep track of. I would pity you, honestly.”
         Keplar crossed his arms, ready for the long story.
         “You know each and every of those eighty horses by name, color, and personality. They are as individual as your peers, and just as respected and honored. When one falls ill, it’s you who slaughters it, as a friend doing an act of mercy, and you who mourn your companions passing.
         “Now, lets say a higher power approaches your tribes leader, demanding your tribe pays tax for travelling on the kings land. Your leader decides to be peacefull, and offers the strangers seven horses as payment. Each year, these strange men in their impressive shining clothes,” She pointed to his armor with a smile, “come and ask for their payment. After a while, they want ten horses instead of seven. Then thirteen. Then seventeen.”
         Keplar sighed, nodding.
         Leilani kept her gaze on him firmly. “Sooner or later, you’re going to run out of horses to give. You’ll be removed of any status and any sort of valuables, but still expected to pay for next years tax when the time comes. My family may not be broke and penniless, but we are milked as much as I milk my cattle, and we are left dry and hungry after we pay. Our roads are broken, fences in need of repair, our young frail and hungry each night. What has your lady the Queen done to help us of late? She had such grace as to return a response to our mayors letter of complaint by saying she will ‘do what she can’. Now, I will pay our taxes and bow to her in the street. I would gladly sleep outdoors to give her my bed if she wished to visit my house. However, as Keptani, I cannot afford—literally can not afford—to leave my family at this time. I ask you and our dear Queen to understand that I refuse this summons because I wish to make the quota she has set for my family, one they cannot possibly attain without me.”
         Keplar paused, to be sure she was done. Then, he stepped away. “Good day, my lady.”
         “And to you.” She said, politely stepping backwards into the house and closing the door. She turned and pressed her back against the wood, waiting for a long while before peeking out of the window. She found nothing but green grass beyond the door and, a ways down the dirt path, a blue figure walking into the distance.



 
Keplar stared out the window of the tavern, slowly nursing a pint of water. The tavern was conveniently placed at the entrance of the village, before the roads forked and split. If she entered the village, she would have to pass by.
         “Are you for hire, sir?” A middle-aged man asked, standing at his side.
         Keplar waved his wrist. “No. Apologies.”
         The man looked greatly disappointed, and walked to a mercenary in tough leathers to ask the same question. Keplar kept his eyes out the window, waiting for Leilani’s dainty figure to walk past. She so resembled her mother…
         The bar maid stepped in front of his vision, setting down a new mug of water. “Can I get you anything to eat?” She asked sweetly.
         He moved, looking around her frame. She followed his movement, and raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been here all day…”
         Keplar sighed. “Fine. You’re right. I’ll have whatever you’ve got for a fifth.”
         She walked away, and as she passed from his view her stunning frame was replaced by another. He dug a fifth coin from his purse and dropped it on the table as he scurried for the door.
         He followed Leilani, not wanting to call out and make a scene. He was ten feet away when a child ran into her knocking her off balance while the child fell to the ground. The little girl began to cry, and Leilani turned to her. She bent, reaching out to help the girl to her feet. Keplars eyes locked on her cleavage as a stone pendant slipped from the embrace of her breasts, though she quickly grabbed it with her spare hand, tucking it away as a woman came to claim the child. Leilani waved, and once the two had walked away, she took a moment to secure the stone pendant away in her bosom, and continued walking.
         Keplar stepped away, toward the inn he’d been staying in these four days. His agenda had now shifted.
 



Originally, his plan had been to approach her first—which failed—and as a second, demand her presence at the palace, with a threat if he had to. But now he had another playing chip; he knew she had the stone, first, and second he would be able to bargain for it, since she so thoroughly explained why she couldn’t leave home. His money purse ticked against his hip as he walked to the cattle ranch again. This time, it was a middle-aged man who answered the door. He was leaning to the side, and upon further inspection Keplar reasoned his leg must have had a splint under his trousers.
         The man eyed him warily. “Long, since a royal messenger came.”
         “I am no messenger.” Keplar corrected. “I seek a stone, green with swirling black.”
         The man shook his head. “We have no such—“
         “I know it’s here, in this house. It’s property of the royal family, and I’ll not be leaving until I have it back.”
         “Well if it is, the missus didn’t tell me about it.”
         Keplar sighed. “You have a daughter, do you not?”
         He nodded. “Stealing aint like her, though.”
         “No, I can’t imagine it is. The stone was a gift, but the queen needs it. I’m here to purchase it back.”
         His eyes widened. “You can certainly have it, if you can find it, Sir.”
         “Where is your daughter?”
         He gestured behind himself. “Out in the field, tending. She’s a sweet thing, though. She’ll give it back if she’s got it.”
         Keplar almost laughed. Sweet? “I’ll go see her, then.”
         The man nodded, waving a little then deciding to bow instead. Keplar turned and walked to the backside of the house. It revealed a large fenced area, spannin nearly as far as he could see, and off near the middle was Leilani.
         Her, and three men in bronze armor with greens underneath. Keplar made his way over the fence, then toward the group. Leilani stood, patting the hindquarter of a cow as the men talked. He came from behind them, quietly, listening.
         “…now our property. Your family is required to have all cattle delivered to the royal city to be sold, in place of your deficits.”
         Leilani made a wide gesture with her hands. “How are we supposed to pay not only for the trip but for next taxing season if we’ve sold off our only method of income?!”
         “It’s not our concern. If—“
         She pointed at him, taking a step forward. His eyes flashed open wider, but only for a moment. “It is your concern!”
         The man leaned forward as she took her hand away. “Well, unless you have something of value to give, something to sell in place of the cattle, we could easily tell her majesty that the cows were delivered. A valuable gem, perhaps?”
         Keplar had heard enough. These obviously weren’t men of the Queen—they wore the wrong colors, to start. And none of the Queens men were disloyal enough to consider lying to her—even if she were to order such an outrageous request as this.
         His thoughts rambled as he came closer, seizing the nearest mans hair and holding his head in place, delivering a chop to the back of his neck, just so. He crumpled, and Keplar moved to the next. The cow behind Leilani snorted, taking its mouthful of grass and trotting away from the commotion. She took a few steps away, staring at the flurry of hands then jumping out of the way as a body was tossed aside. The man rolled, regained balance, and charged. By the time he reached Keplar, the second green guard had fallen and the charging soldier was just as easily incapacitated. Keplar lowered his body respectfully, placing him on the ground and then stepping over it, toward Leilani.
         She backed away, hands up. “Y-You just killed…”
         Keplar shook his head earnestly. “I should have, and by all means could have killed them. I only encouraged them to fall asleep. Now listen, these were not the Queens men. I don’t know where they’re from but they’re searching for your stone.”
         “My…what?”
         He whispered. “I know you have it.”
         She gave him an honest, confused look. “I’m not really sure what you’re pertaining to.”
         “It’s a green stone.” He said encouragingly. “With brown, black swirls. It was given to you as a child.”
         “Begone,” She said, waving her hand at him and taking a step away. “You’ve troubled me enough you crazy fool.”
         A hand covered his breast and he closed his eyes thoughtfully. “Highness, forgive me that I disobey your orders.”
         Before she could call him a fool again, he’d taken two long strides. He reached around the front of her neck while putting himself behind her. Her head was held tightly in the corner of his elbow, as she gasped as his free hand dove into her bodice and pulled out the chain and pendant. After a moment of her struggling, he let her pull away. He stepped back, and crossed his arms.
         “What’s that?” He asked. “Where’s the green stone?”
         “This was found on the road, and my father spent dear money to have it placed. If you weren’t sure if it was the same dumb stone you’re looking for, you shouldn’t have—“
         He stepped closer, speaking quietly. “That stone was given to you by your true mother, whom I know personally. You look exactly like her, don’t try telling me I’ve got the wrong person. I know that I don’t.”
         Leilani held out her hands. “I look nothing  like my mother!”
         He gestured to the house. “You think those are your real parents? Did they never tell you otherwise?”
         Leilani stepped away, shaking her head. “What does it matter? Why are you doing this to me? Just leave me—“
         “No, I can’t do that.” Keplar said. There was a low tone in his voice that made her stop and look away. He motioned to the man behind him. “That stone has more meaning than you know. If it falls into the wrong hands, millions of people are going to die. This is your last chance to give it to me, and then I promise to leave you alone.”
         Keplar waited somewhat patiently  as she thought, tapping two of her fingers together with glazed-over eyes. He crossed his arms after a minute. “…Well?”
         She glanced at him from the side of her vision. “I want to know what it does first.”
         Good, he thought, she admits she has it. “I want to see that you have it in your possession first.”
         “No.” She said seriously. “If what you said is true and it’s so valuable, and may lead to many people dying, I’m not going to show you where it is.”
         Keplar groaned. He couldn’t simply tell her what it did; what a fool he would be, revealing its secrets. He looked her in the eye, finding her waiting assuredly.
         “Well, then I’ll go.” She said, turning to find the cow.
         “Wait—“
         She stopped, turning back. “Yes?”
         He only dared to whisper. “I cannot afford you all the details but in short, when that stone is combined with a collection of others like it, this world will be reborn in either light or darkness. The Queen wishes to protect these stones, and for that purpose she needs them collected.”
         He took a small step back and watched the expression on her face as she thought deeply. After a dauntingly long minute, Leilani met his gaze. “Do you know a man named Kamar?”
         “Kamar? No. Though it’s possible I have met him, and forgotten. I meet many people.”
         She looked away, tapping her fingers together. “Sealed away with the stone was a letter from my true mother. She said I was to give it to no one other than Kamar, no matter what happened.”
         Keplar pointed to himself. “But I’m from the royal guard.”
         She shook her head. “In the note, she warned me that the government may come to be corrupt in the time from when she wrote it, to when I would read it. I will give the stone to Kamar, and none other. Pray he yet lives.”
         He sighed. “How am I to find him?”
         “I was given instructions to where he lived at the time the letter was written. I’ll start the search there.”
         He inclined his head to a small bow. “All respect, but I would be—“
         “Kamar is likely a busy person. It is a common courtesy that I visit him, rather than drag him from his home. And I will be the one transporting the stone, so I must go.”
         He sighed. Why was she so stubborn? “Very well.”
         She nodded. “Good. I will meet with you at the crossroads between here and the town, tomorrow morning. I have packing to do, and sad news to deliver to my parents.
         Keplar bowed slightly. “Until then.”



 
Leilani patted her horse down while she waited, checking its hooves for the tenth time. She adjusted his bridle, tightened a strap, then stood, worried and pored. Her parents had been understanding, saying they would find a young boy in town to help with their chores. Her mother had packed her some bread and fruits, a blanket, extra cloth, a sewing kit…Leilani had to stop her, and assure the woman that she’d be okay. Her father gave her his dagger, and while she did accept the gift she knew she would have no use for it.
         She had a weapon all her own.
         Once she saw him on the horizon, Leilani got on her grey stallion and they strode out to meet him. “I had thought you were camped out on the plain. I would have met you in town, had I known.”
         Keplar shrugged, turning his horse to follow hers back to town. “No harm was done. Where are we headed?”
         “The blacksmith. Forgive me, o mighty soldier, but I desire my own man to travel with me, for safety.”
         “You have been betrothed?” Keplar asked, surprised. Then she shook his head and added, “What kind of dangerous terrain are we going to be travelling through?”
         She rolled her shoulders. “He’s a friend, almost like a brother. The path we’ll take is through plains in forest. The danger isn’t in the terrain, but in its company.”
         Keplar puffed up, heat rising in his body. “Me? I’m the danger? I beg your pardon milady but—“
         “Beg it all you wish, Kep. A friendly assassin is one who is most dangerous. I’ll be bringing my own defenses.”

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